Welcome to mindfulness of breath and sensations.
I invite you to take a moment to settle into your space and posture.
Whether you have chosen to sit up or lie down,
Find somewhere quiet and warm and peaceful.
Where you'll be relaxed and at ease and at the same time alert and aware.
Softly close your eyes.
Take a deep breath in and out.
We'll take another deep breath in and then just softly let it all out.
Releasing all concerns,
Worries and anxieties.
You don't need them for now.
This is a beautiful time for you to experience some peace.
Just take a moment to connect with your intention,
Your reasoning to practice.
We start to become aware of the physical body.
Gently roll your shoulders back a few times.
Getting all the kinks out.
And then take a moment to rock your head back and forth.
Slowly back and forth.
As you stretch out the neck and back.
As you sit and lie,
Start to release and soften the tension in the body.
And with each inhale and exhale,
Bring awareness to your face.
Smoothing out all the muscles in your forehead.
Start to relax and soften your eyes.
The muscles behind your eyes.
Relax your jaw.
Soften your shoulders,
Your spine,
Your belly.
Relaxing your hips and your legs.
Your feet.
With each breath that you take.
I invite you in this state of awareness and relaxation to bring your attention now to the breath.
As you breathe in and breathe out.
Just notice where you experience the breath in the body.
Maybe you feel the moist cool air at the tip of your nose.
Or perhaps you feel your belly moving up and down as the breath comes into the body.
Or maybe you notice the expansion and contraction of your chest as you breathe in and breathe out.
Just experience it as it is without judgment.
Just focusing on the breath where you feel it most distinctly in the body.
Letting go of any ideas,
Images,
Or thoughts about the breath.
Just breathing.
And becoming curious about the quality of your breath.
Is it long?
Short?
Deep or shallow?
Is it rough or smooth?
Just noticing and noticing how that changes over time.
If you find your mind is wandering,
Just notice it and bring it back to your breath.
All kinds of other things and experiences may appear as you're sitting.
Perhaps you hear sounds from outside.
Or thoughts arise.
Simply acknowledge them and bring your attention back to the breath.
I invite you to expand your awareness out from the breath now and into the various sensations of the body.
Maybe you notice the tingling energy pulsating through your hands or feet.
Or the warm or cool air on your body.
Maybe you notice unpleasant or pleasant or neutral feelings.
And just notice that without judging.
Just noticing with curiosity all these sensations and feelings that arise.
And knowing that however you are feeling is okay.
There's nothing you need to do or fix or change.
Just noticing.
Knowing that all these experiences,
Every feeling,
Whether it's pleasant or painful or neutral,
They are all impermanent.
You can watch as they arise,
Peak,
And then pass away.
We can notice sounds around us.
Or smells.
Or tastes as they arise.
Simply noticing.
You do not need to do anything to control these feelings or make them change.
Simply observe them.
And then return your attention to the breath.
And if an emotion arises,
Just notice it without judgment.
Simply watch as the emotion rises,
Peaks,
And then passes away.
And then return your attention to the breath.
And if you find your mind is wandering throughout your practice,
Just know that your breath is always there for you to come back to the present moment at any time.
You can start now to deepen the breath.
Consciously take a deep breath in,
A deep breath out.
Again,
Taking another deep breath in and a deep breath out.
You bring your focus back to the physical body.
Maybe bring some movement.
Wiggling your toes.
Wiggling your fingers.
And then thanking yourself for carving out this time for self-care and peace.
And may you experience love,
Joy,
And peace.
As well as everyone around you.
And as soon as you're ready,
Softly open your eyes.
